Prague Nebraska - Nebraska Directory

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Village · Saunders County · Population 291 (2020 census) · ZIP 68050 · Founded 1887 · Peak population 421 (1930)

About Prague

Prague (pronounced to rhyme with "Craig") is a Czech village of 291 on NE 79 in northwestern Saunders County, about 12 miles northwest of Wahoo. It has St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, the National Hall used for polka dances, and Czechland Lake a mile north. A sign on NE 79 claims the world's largest kolach, and Beer Barrel Days comes in early August.

History

Czech settlers arrived in the area in 1867. The townsite belonged to Joseph Kaspar, and when the Burlington's Ashland–Schuyler branch was built in 1887 the Lincoln Land Company platted and sold the lots; the first building was Frank Pop's saloon, opened on September 15, 1887, and the first train came that October. The village was named for Prague in Bohemia and incorporated on October 6, 1888, with about 200 people.

The population peaked at 421 in 1930. The Prague school district merged with East Butler in 2010, and the high school closed that year. Beer Barrel Days includes Czech Heritage Day, a car show and polka dances.

Highways and trails through Prague

Route	One way	Other way
NE 79Through the village	North to Morse Bluff (about 9 mi) and North Bend	South to NE 92 and Valparaiso

Nearby towns

Plasi	about 3.7 mi south-southwest	County roads
Rescue	about 4 mi northwest	County roads
Malmo	about 5 mi east-southeast	County roads
Cedar Hill	about 6 mi north	NE 79
Weston	about 9 mi south-southeast	NE 79 and NE 92
Morse Bluff	about 9 mi north-northeast	NE 79
Colon	about 10 mi east	County roads
Wahoo	about 12 mi east-southeast	NE 79 and NE 92
North Bend	about 11 mi north	NE 79

Things to see

Czechland Lake Recreation Area, 1 mi north on NE 79: an 82-acre no-wake lake with electric campsites ($20) and free tent camping · St. John the Baptist Church, 122 Center Ave. · Sts. Cyril and Methodius at Plasi, about 4 mi south-southwest, the oldest Czech parish in Nebraska · Rescue and Cedar Hill to the north

Events in Prague

Prague Beer Barrel Days
Prague Beer Barrel Days is held in Prague, Nebraska, on the second weekend of August.

Know of another event here? Tell us about it.

Health care

Nearest hospital Saunders Medical Center, Wahoo (about 12 mi)

Sources: U.S. Census; Wikipedia; Andreas, History of the State of Nebraska (1882); Phillips, Past and Present of Saunders County (1915); Saunders County, Nebraska History (1983, NEGenWeb); Fitzpatrick, Nebraska Place-Names (1925); National Register of Historic Places; Nebraska Game and Parks; Lower Platte North NRD; Nebraska Department of Transportation. Distances marked "about" are estimates.